The present invention relates to a label applicator for a compact disc (mentioned as CD hereinafter) that permits CD users to easily apply a label onto an annular label applying face of a CD, and a label attachment for use in the label applicator.
Due to the recent popularity of personal computers, provision of copyright laws and so forth, CD-R (recordable compact discs) and CD-RW (rewritable compact discs) have been used as writable optical recording discs, thus generating the need among users to apply indexes of recorded contents onto these CDs.
In response to this need, there exist apparatuses for particular processing that can print indexes of characters and images by specific printers, but the apparatuses have not yet popularized since they require specific printers.
On the other hand, the popularity of color printers and printer software has resulted in an increasing demand for the application of labels having information printed by general color printers onto the label applying faces of CDs.
However, since the label applying faces of CDs are annular and also large in area, labels are often wrinkled or air is trapped in adhesive faces during the application. Thus, it is difficult to apply labels attractively. As labels are required to be thinner, the application of thinner and more flexible labels will become more difficult.
Additionally, when labels are thickened so as to prevent wrinkles as well as trapped air, CDs will become thicker or will be warped due to the application of labels, causing problems in removal from and placement in storage cases, changes in tonal quality, tracking errors and other problems.
Therefore, it is extremely difficult to attractively apply the thin annular labels printed by printers onto the annular label applying faces of CDs without causing problems.
The present invention focuses on the high precision of rotatable mounting parts of lid bodies of general storage cases for CDs. An object of the present invention is to provide a label applicator which can attractively apply an annular label onto the annular label applying face of a CD by utilizing a general storage case and using a simple label attachment.
It is also another object of the present invention to provide an economical and easy-to-handle label applicator or the label attachment therefor.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-handle label applicator, keeping a CD as well as a label attachment stored within a CD storage case.
In order to achieve the above objects, the CD label applicator of the present invention has a label attachment in a CD storage case, which has a disc storage body and a lid body attached to the disc storage body in a freely opening and closing condition, thereby applying an annular label to the label applying face of a CD stored in the disc storage body. The label attachment has an annular label pressing face so as to apply a label to the label applying face. The label attachment is mounted on an inner surface of the lid body so as to let the label pressing face concentrically face the label applying face of the CD in the disc storage body and contact against the label applying face by pressing in the lid-closing process.
In this label applicator, a temporary fixing unit may be provided to the label pressing face of the label attachment so as to temporarily fix a label. A guide adapter may be separately mounted concentrically to the center of the label applying face of a CD in the disc storage body so as to locate a temporary fixing position of an annular label to the label applying face. Additionally, the guide adapter may be formed at a height so as to be stored inside the closed storage case. The label attachment may have a center hole, into which the guide adapter is inserted with a space therebetween when the storage case is closed.
It is also preferable that the label pressing face of the label attachment is entirely or partially formed of a cushion layer so as to press a label elastically.
In applying a label to a CD by the above-mentioned CD label applicator, a CD is first stored in the disc storage body of the storage case with the annular label applying face positioned upward; the label attachment constituting the label applicator is mounted on the lid body so as to let the annular label pressing face concentrically face the CD label applying face in the closing process; and a printed side of the annular label having desirable print is temporarily fixed to the label pressing face in a concentric condition.
When the storage case is closed at an engaging part in this condition, the annular label temporarily fixed to the label pressing face is pressed against the annular label applying face of a CD that is concentrically facing the pressing face, so that the label is applied to the label applying face with the adhesive applied to the label.
In this case, if a temporary label fixing unit is provided on the label pressing face, the label temporarily fixed to the label pressing face will stay still when the storage case is closed at the engaging part, so that an annular label may be applied accurately to the label applying face.
Moreover, in case that the label applicator has a guide adapter, a CD is stored in the disc storage body of the storage case; the guide adapter is concentrically mounted onto this CD; and an adhesive side of an annular label having preferable print is temporarily fixed to the label applying face in a concentric condition while this guide adapter is used as a guide.
The above-mentioned temporary fixation of a label is carried out with the guide adapter concentrically fixed to a CD as a guide, so that an annular label may be easily and accurately temporarily fixed to the label applying face in a concentric condition.
Subsequently, in closing the lid body of the storage case to which the label attachment is fixed so as to let the annular label pressing face concentrically face the label applying face of the CD, the annular label temporarily fixed to the label applying face is pressed by the concentrically facing annular label pressing face of the label attachment, so that the label is applied firmly to the label applying face with the adhesive applied to the label.
The storage case is so precise that the engaging part fits well in closing the case, and the label pressing face applies a label while pushing out the air from a gap with the label applying face by gradually pressing from one side of the label diameter to another side, so that these label applicators can apply labels attractively without causing wrinkles and trapped air.
Additionally, if a cushion layer is provided to the label pressing face of the label attachment so as to elastically press labels, this cushion layer elastically presses labels against the label applying face, so that labels may be accurately and more attractively applied to the label applying face.
In the label applicators, a label attachment and so forth are mounted onto a general storage case, so that the structure thereof may be simple and economical. Moreover, annular labels may be attractively applied to annular label applying faces of CDs without forming wrinkles and trapped air.
Moreover, while a label attachment is kept on the lid body of a storage case, a CD may be attached and removed from the disc storage body of the storage case. Moreover, the storage case may be closed. Thus, the handling is very simple.
Furthermore, in case of using a guide adapter, as long as the height thereof is low, a storage case may be closed while a label attachment and the guide adapter are still mounted.